March 5, 2021
Working From Home
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last spring, everyone was affected; none more than our front-line caregivers who never stopped providing life-saving care across our region. Behind the scenes, another large group of employees – those in administrative and support roles – also had their work routines turned on its ear.
Since March 18, 2020, more than 3,000 employees have been working remotely due to the pandemic. Shifting thousands of employees to work from home was no small feat. The I.S. teams spent thousands of hours helping staff get set up with the tools and access they needed. And while there’s a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, most of these employees will continue working from home until at least June 30, 2021.
This experience has brought with it challenges, benefits and a range of emotions. For parents with school-aged children, the workday often included helping their kids, many who were learning how to log into Zoom classes as most schools went virtual. Others were helping care for family members, or trying to create an entirely new family schedule. Daily routines somehow became a mix of chaos and Groundhog Day.
A new baby, quarantine and home school
Melissa Hall, a Credentialing Supervisor in St. Cloud, was prepared for change when she went on maternity leave in January 2020. After all, she had just welcomed her third child and was bringing her baby home to join his two-year-old and five-year old sisters. But when it came time to return to the office, her team was all working remotely. As it turned out, adjusting to a virtual work environment was just one piece of the puzzle for Hall.
On top of having three little ones at home, her husband is a registered nurse at St. Cloud Hospital and worked some shifts in the COVID unit. They changed up their basement to be a mini apartment so he could quarantine for a few days following those shifts. “Since this virus was completely new to everyone, we wanted to be on the safe side,” said Hall. “It was nerve-racking not knowing when and if he had to report to the COVID unit, but we took one day at a time. And it was hard for the kids to understand why they couldn’t see dad who was downstairs.” For Hall, juggling all of this on top of her job isn’t easy. “There are days I’m running around like Superwoman trying to keep up, but we keep pushing forward and I really appreciate the flexibility we’re given in our jobs.”
Challenges and benefits
“Our teams on the front line and many people in our community faced more difficult circumstances than me, so I feel fortunate.”
For Mahado Ali, a Cultural Competency and Health Equity Supervisor in St. Cloud, the shift to working from home has had its challenges. “To be honest, it was really hard,” said Ali. “I’m a single parent to my son who is in kindergarten, so suddenly I was playing the role of employee, teacher, and chef. On top of that, I missed my coworkers. They’re like family to me so that was tough.” Ali was quick to point out that when things started to feel overwhelming, she thought of others who had it worse than her. “Our teams on the front line and many people in our community faced more difficult circumstances than me, so I feel fortunate.”
And then there are employees like Shana Zahrbock, a Recruitment Manager located in Marshall. Zahrbock has been working from home for the past five years, so the adjustment was a non-issue. “Typically, I would be in the office on Mondays for our department meetings, so that was a change,” she said. The team still holds Monday department meetings, but now they’re virtual. They also have virtual huddles on Thursdays. She noted that everyone makes an effort to stay connected and the team has adjusted really well. And working from home has allowed her to be more productive. “I have a dedicated work space and I just get in a zone. I think our whole team has realized we can be very productive without being in the office.”
Through it all, one thing is for certain: employees have shown a remarkable ability to adjust and adapt. Work has looked and felt different the past year and everyone is excited to get back to more predictable routines. But it’s also been a learning experience and one that will certainly reshape how we work together in the future.